We have a dedicated team of expert professionals who not only provide outstanding technical support, but we help keep you up to date. Staying abreast of the ever-changing rules and regulations, policies and procedures in the mailing and shipping industry is a daunting task at best. We hope you will find this blog filled with pertinent information you can use to run your business more efficiently and profitably. As always, we welcome your feedback and comments.
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On Friday 12/17/2010, the USPS announced they will be delaying the implementation of the eDoc penalties that could cost mailers additional money should their eDoc not be in full compliance with PostalOne! and Seamless Acceptance standards. Here are the specific items that the USPS planned to be checking for in January:
- Invalid mail preparer/mail owner (“By/For”) information
- Errors in Customer/Supplier Agreements (CSA’s)
- Invalid Mailer IDs
- Invalid Service Type Identifiers
- Non-unique mailpiece, handling unit, or container barcodes
Read below the letter from Steve Kearney of the USPS to the Mailer’s Technical Advisory Committee:
Letter to MTAC from MTAC Co-Chair
Dear MTACers:
We are delaying Full-Service eDoc postage corrections, which we had planned to deploy on January 2, 2011, to give mailers more time to use information from a new report to help correct errors in their electronic documentation.
The new publication — PostalOne!® Full-Service Error report — allows eDoc submitters to review the quality of submissions, identify jobs with errors, and calculate the correct postage. This report also allows the eDoc submitter to request reconciliation of identified errors.
We encourage mailers to take advantage of the reconciliation process and use the feedback to correct Full-Service eDoc issues.
In addition, enhancements to the MicroStrategy Mail Data Quality reports provide detailed information on piece counts and postage amounts for pieces that are not compliant with Full-Service requirements.
Mailers have begun using these two reports — MicroStrategy Mail Data Quality and Full-Service Error — to assess the quality of their eDoc. We are continuing to work through the MTAC 137 group to address mailers’ concerns.
Please be sure to utilize the MicroStrategy Mail Data Quality reports and the PostalOne! Full-Service Error reports. Also, tell us about any issues you have with the PostalOne! help desk, 800-522-9085.
Best regards,
Steve Kearney
MTAC Co-Chair
U.S. Postal Service
Today’s DMM Advisory issued the following update:
IMb™ Services Update
FAST® Release 15.0.0 will deploy on November 7, 2010. Updated FAST 15.0.0 Release Notes are available at http://ribbs.usps.gov/fast/documents/tech_guides/FASTRelease/. The key features of this release are:
- Users now have the capability to choose to receive emails for stand-alone content association.
- The FAST Web Services messaging will be updated to account for previous error messages.
The Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) is available on Postal Explorer (pe.usps.com). To subscribe to the DMM Advisory, send an e-mail to dmmadvisory@usps.com. Simply indicate “subscribe” in the subject line.
In our ongoing efforts to educate mailers and the postal industry as a whole about critical changes happening with the USPS, we are publishing an informative, 29-page white paper titled, “Intelligent Mail Full-Service: Critical Steps to Understanding and Implementing”.
The Postal Team here at Window Book believes that in this white paper you’ll discover:
- What’s going on in the Postal industry
- The differences between the Full-Service and Basic options
- What Full-Service will do for you (It’s not just about the discounts!)
- The 3 ways to participate in the USPS PostalOne! System
- What steps you need to take, and in which order, to get going with IM Full-Service
- And much, much more!
Click here to download your free copy of Intelligent Mail Full-Service: Critical Steps to Understanding and Implementing.
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
If you need assistance with the USPS FAST system, you can submit your issue via email to FAST@usps.com. Or, depending on the date, you can call one of the two numbers below:
- Prior to August 30, 2010 – call 1-800-522-9085
- After August 30, 2010 – call 1-877-569-6614
** If you are having any problems with your Customer/Supplier Agreements (CSAs) – you must log these issues with the FAST Help Desk via one of the methods listed above. **
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
This group was formed by the Mailers Technical Advisory Group (MTAC) to discuss and work through any FAST-related issues that were tabled and passed to it by MTAC 122 – as well as new issues that have come up since the announcement of this group forming. The first meeting was held this past week on Wednesday afternoon. If you are interested in joing this User Group, please contact the Industry Co-Chair Michelle Billman of ALG Worldwide Logistics at mbillman@algworldwide.com.
Here are a few highlights from that initial meeting:
There is a “patch release” (14.3.0) coming out on August 15 (FAST is trying to follow the overall PostalOne! release schedule.) Here is some helpful info from the latest DMM Advisory:
*** FAST Release 14.3.0 and Scheduled Outages (August 15-16, 2010): FAST® Release 14.3.0 will deploy to the production environment on Sunday, August 15, 2010. Updated release notes for FAST 14.3.0 are available on RIBBS>Site Index A-Z>FAST/Surface Visibility>Important Links>FAST Release Notes. The FAST production system will not be available from 4 a.m. through 8 a.m. (CDT) on Sunday, August 15, 2010.
FAST Release 14.3.0 will deploy to the Test Environment for Mailers (TEM) on Monday, August 16, 2010. The FAST TEM system will not be available from 8 a.m. through 12 Noon (CDT) on Monday, August 16, 2010. ***
The pre-release notes available on RIBBS were updated to include information about the new Help Desk set up for FAST. The industry seems a bit hesitant (I’m being nice here) about how helpful this will be. They are concerned that if they have a truck full of mail at the dock that is not being accepted, they will more than likely still have to go through their current escalation routine to get the mail accepted as opposed to just calling the Help Desk for resolution. The USPS says those calls will route to a Manager on Duty at that facility. The problem there is that the normal escalation process inside the facility already includes contacting that manager, so that Help Desk routing could end up with a mailer saying “Hello Manager John – I need to complain about Manager John I was just talking to.” (Could be a touchy situation!)
Last discussion item was about the open issues handed off from MTAC 122 and how to open new issues moving forward. It was decided to table that until next meeting when Ed Wanta (USPS) would be on the call.
As we hurtle along towards 2011 and increased postage prices due to the USPS exigency filing, IDEAlliance formally published the Mail.dat 11-1 specification for the industry’s review. This new specification is designed to take into account new items being requested by the industry and the USPS for better communications amongst ourselves and with the USPS via PostalOne! Although, truth be told, it’s more the latter than the former. With the publishing of the final spec, there are a few things/dates people need to know:
- All reviews must be complete and comments turned in by Friday, 08/06/10. Due to the compressed schedule for publishing this spec requested by the USPS, there is only 1 week to dig into and review this new spec.
- The “must-catch” date is 12/02/10 – This is the date software that receives and reads Mail.dat files (like Window Book’s DAT-MAIL or the USPS PostalOne! system) must be ready to receive (catch) files formatted using the 11-1 spec.
- The “must-send” date is 02/02/11 – This is the date software that creates Mail.dat files must be able to produce files formatted using the 11-1 spec.
- Expected date of exigency price increase is 01/02/11 – These 3 dates create a 60-day window between catch and send dates for Mail.dat with the price increase date right in the middle.
- When reviewing the new spec, it’s easier to start at the back! Find the section in the back that details the changes to the spec between 11.1.0.0 and 9.1.0.3 (page 154) and use that to guide you through your review.
- Pay attention to the new “air box” scenario described on page 150. These are containers that mailers are being required to use even though the USPS doesn’t have many technical details about them.
For those of you just getting familiar with Mail.dat (and Mail.XML), Window Book will be presenting a Mail.dat/Mail.XML Webinar on Tuesday, 08/10/10 at 3:00 pm EDT. Interested parties can register at http://www.windowbook.com/WindowBookWebinars.aspx.
Wallace Vingelis
Director, Postal Industry Practice
Window Book, Inc.
Phone: (617) 395-4569
Fax: (617) 395-5969
email: wvingelis@windowbook.com
URL: www.windowbook.com
Are you trying to work with eDocs, PostalOne!, Mail.dat or Mail.XML files, Do you need to improve your method of accounting of permits, postage and and meters? Are you needing educational information on USPS TEM, Electronic Mail Acceptance and Entry? Have you ever tried using Priority Mail Open Distribute (PMOD) to make an “In-Home-Date” and reduce postage costs? Did you know you don’t have to pay up front postage for Return Merchandise Labels, you can use a permit! Did you know there is International Commercial USPS Rates – Pricing available. Are you considering switching from optional procedures to Manifest Mailing? PUB 401? Are you trying to work with eDocs, PostalOne!, Mail.dat or Mail.XML files? Do you need to improve your method of accounting of permits, Would you like to know how to shave hours of your day with self populating mailing and financial reports?
Window Book is hosting a ‘Software User Seminar’ on August 4-5, 2009 where you can meet our staff in person and get expert tips on how to better use your program.
Please join us to discover all the new features available for your Window Book software.
Sending eDocs via PostalOne! Mail.dat or Mail.XML
FAST Web Services and Mail.XML for drop shipping
Generating reports to track postage, permits, clients & jobs
Electronic Round Date Grp. ID Stamp (Fall 2009)
How to optimize Freight Planning and Drop Shipping
Priority Mail Open and Distribute Cost/Savings Analysis
Register for your ‘Software User Seminar’ hosted by Window Book, Inc.
Learn all the updated and new software functionalities
Work towards your certificate as a program user
Learn about new service offerings: Postal Concierge & Mailing Services
Day One Everything and anything new – improved – underutilized with DAT-MAILTM, PPPTM and other software
Day Two Advanced users and One-on-one breakouts
When: Tuesday, August 4th, 2009, 8am-5pm
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009, 9am-1pm
Where: Holiday Inn Willowbrook, Chicago, IL
Registration fee: $60.00 per person / Discounted rate of $50 per person for 3 or more attendees same company
Register now
Hotel Information:
Holiday Inn Chicago-Willowbrook-Hinsdale
7800 South Kingery Hwy, Willowbrook, IL 60527
ph: 630-325-6400 | Fax: 630-325-2362
Rates: $98.00 SIG/$109.00 DBL
Group Code: WindowBook
Deadline for Registration: Thu, 7/30/09
Note:
1. You will receive an Attendance Certificate for your participation. Hour(s) will be credited towards becoming a Certified WBI Software User. 2. Registration Fee is non-refundable but may be applied towards future seminars. This is your great opportunity to sharpen your skills and identify your specific needs for your company! Please email us at mailto:postalspecialist@windowbook.com?subject=Join%20Us%20at%20the%20Window%20Book%20Software%20User%20Seminar if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
J. Jeffery Peoples
CEO & Founder
Window Book, Inc.
Mail.XML vs. Mail.dat
Most of us in the mailing industry have become accustomed to the word “mail.dat” and have a good understanding of what it is and the benefits of using it. For those of you still not familiar with the term mail.dat, it is a mailing industry standard specification (established and maintained by IDEAlliance) for a set of relational database files. These files are generated at the time that the mailing list is sorted through postal presort software, or when the mailpieces are sorted on Multi-Line Optical Character Reader (MLOCR) sorters. The set of files together represent just about all the specifics about a mailing with the exception of the mailing names and addresses. These files are used by the mailing industry and the United States Postal Service® (USPS) to share information and facilitate electronic transactions.
Just when we thought we had become pretty smart about mail.dat, along comes Mail.XML. Unless you are a real techie, mail.xml probably seems like a word from a foreign language. Actually, mail.xml is fairly simple, and it represents a really cool method to transmit mailing information. But what does it mean for the average mailer?
As background, Mail.XML is a newer mailing industry standard specification (again established and maintained by IDEAlliance) for informational transmissions. Mail.dat is quite robust and can contain huge amounts of information. This is very beneficial, except when you only need portions of the information that resides in mail.dat files. In these cases, it can be time consuming and a strain on transmission and storage resources to send entire Mail.dat files back and forth between the involved participants in the mailings.
To help understand the difference between Mail.dat and Mail.XML, think of it in terms of the Mail.dat file being the encyclopedia of a Mail.XML given mailing. Then think of Mail.XML being the telegram that you send to someone describing a portion of the encyclopedia. If your recipient only needs a small segment of information, it is much easier (for both of you!) to send them a short telegram than to send them an entire encyclopedia. That is essentially how Mail.XML works in relationship to mail.dat.
One of the ways that Mail.XML will be used is during transactions with the USPS. For example, if you use PostalOne! to transact business with the USPS, you will first upload a mail.dat file for the mailing as a “planned” mailing. Once all the final attributes of the mailing have been determined and all adjustments made to the Mail.dat file, you need transmit only Mail.XML “telegrams” to the USPS to update the mail.dat file that you previously uploaded. This eliminates the need to re-upload an entire mail.dat file every time a change is made or a new transaction required. This allows you to pay postage, make drop ship appointments, and a variety of other transactions using much smaller chunks of data.
Mail.dat is not going away anytime soon, and will certainly not be replaced by mail.xml. Mail.XML is just a very useful tool for use in transmitting smaller chunks of a mail.dat file. You’ll be hearing lots more about Mail.XML, particularly as the USPS proceeds with the integration of Intelligent Mail®.
Monica Lundquist, Postal Affairs, Window Book, Inc.
Mail.XML A Present and Future Tool
Mail.XML is a mailing industry standard specification for light-weight transactions between participants in the mailing process. The Mail.XML specification, as with the mail.dat specification, was established and is maintained by IDEAlliance.
Mail.dat is the powerful foundation for communicating data regarding mailings. It is a suite of relational database files which contain virtually every piece of data about a mailing except for the actual name and address records.
Mail.XML is a communications tool which allows for participants in the mailing process to communicate changes and updates to the Mail.dat file in a fast, efficient manner which is almost real-time. There are numerous transactions that occur during the course of the mailing process which do not require transmission of the entire Mail.dat database. Using Mail.XML for these lighter-weight transactions reduces manual data entry processes and makes these transactions quicker and more efficient.
Mail.dat stores complete information about a mailing as a database. Prior to Mail.XML, the complete dataset was interchanged between the list house, printer/manufacturer, trucking company and USPS.
Mail.dat will not be replaced by Mail.XML. Mail.XML provides an alternative to exchanging the entire Mail.dat database. Mail.XML adds a new light-weight transaction messaging mechanism between mail owner, list house, manufacturer/printer, logistics company and the USPS.
The United States Postal Service® (USPS) continues to move toward a forms-based transaction protocol, to which Mail.XML lends itself beautifully. For example, transmitting postage statements to the USPS for postage payment is a forms-based transaction, for which Mail.XML may be used. Making drop ship appointments through the USPS FAST system is another example.
Mail.dat is not going away and will not be replaced with Mail.XML. Rather, Mail.XML is a powerful tool to make mailing transaction communications much quicker and easier. Window Book offers numerous world-class Mail.XML solutions for communications between mail owners, mail preparers, the USPS and other suppliers. Come join us and tap into the future today!
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